Between the Lines✔ [COMPLETED]

[35] New Year

Ron

It was like walking into a mansion –only smaller. The walls were white and almost perfectly clean, each window was dressed with golden curtains, the thrust stage at the front was covered with shiny tiles, the benches sitting perfectly aligned. Music filled the air, and the mass of people in the room sang along to the familiar song. The choir standing at the front didn't bother much with those walking into the church, and it was then that I'd scanned the room for the one face I'd been meaning to see a surprise on; Olivia. 

There she was, standing in the choir, her eyes gazing blankly at a spot somewhere behind the people standing at the left side of the room. She didn't notice me come in. That's okay.

I took an available seat on the right which an usher had offered me; beside a little guy petting a stuffed puppy and his mother, standing, clapping her hands and singing along. It wasn't a very obvious seat –it was, after all, at the back of the church. 

When the worship songs were over, everyone sat, and Olivia and a friend of hers I'd imagine, stepped forward to sing a duet.

Olivia is a lovely singer. In fact, standing at the front with a choir gown, though it's long and ghostly for the most part, she looks angelic. She sounds angelic. 

It was just before she'd started singing that she finally spotted me. The music had already begun, and she didn't have time to process my face before she began singing.

When she's finished singing, she sits at the front where all the other choir members are sitting. The pastor, her father, brings his message to the people. The time flies. 

And then soon enough, it's close to midnight. As he ends his message, the choir stands for one final song, and with a final prayer, the service ends.

Olivia comes rushing towards me, and I meet her halfway. She bursts out laughing in confusion and surprise. I laugh along with her.

"How... did you even know we were having a service tonight?" she asks me.

"Your mom told me, not too long ago," I reply.

That's quite a funny story actually. I'd arrived at her house a bit early, and her mother was in the living room filing her nails and reading the Bible while Olivia was still getting dressed or something. I took my seat and there was a bit of silence as there always sort of was, and then her mom started asking me about how often I go to church. She was the one who told me about the Old Year's Night church service and dinner, and she'd invited my family and I to join. It's a shame my parents couldn't come –they'd have rather gone to an old year's party, but I knew Olivia was going to be stuck at church, and my gut told me that being there would have started her year off on a great note. It doesn't look like she needed much help, however, her notes were already great.

I extend my hands for a hug, "Surprise," I say, smiling brightly. She hugs me. "Happy New Year, Olive."

"This is unexpected," she says, pulling away from me. "Thanks for coming. You should take a seat –sit next to me, we'll have dinner together."

"Sounds good to me," I tell her, rubbing my hands together to warm them. "Whoa, it's cold."

"Perks of wearing these thick choir gowns –you don't feel the cold," she says, smirking and twirling in front of me. 

"You're absolutely ridiculous," I tell her, laughing. "Shall we?" I usher her to a seat.

"Hello, there," someone says behind me. 

Olivia turns. "Oh, Jesse, this is Ron, a friend from school."

"Hi," Jesse says to me with a bored wave as she smacks green gum, "I'm Jessica, friend of Olivia."